Justifying Paper Certification
First, you need to be aware, no matter what your political views are, that there are illegal, unethical and unsustainable forestry practices occurring worldwide on a massive scale including, to a certain degree, in North America. Print buyers in all vertical segments of our society are aware of this, including yours I'll bet. Purchasing professionals are all about responsible sourcing as their industry adapts to growing pressures for accountability. Check out the Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN) at responsiblepurchasing.org. Look at their member list as well as their paper purchasing guide.
Vic Nathan Barkin has more than 35 years of experience in the printing, paper and wood products industries and currently owns a consulting practice specializing in business development, workflow, and technology implementation, focusing on “Green Procurement and Production” practices. Vic is a QMS Lead Auditor certified to ISO 9001:2008 standards, is a consultant for the Rainforest Alliance as an FSC Chain of Custody and Controlled Wood senior auditor, is an FSC, SFI and PEFC lead auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers and SGS North America, and has engaged in more than 700 site assessments and audits.
